Bruce Willis’ wife slams claims she’s using dementia diagnosis for fame

“FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know,” the family wrote.

The statement — which was signed by Heming alongside Willis’ ex-wife, Demi Moore, and all five of his daughters — also said that if the “Whole Nine Yards” star “could” respond to his situation, he would want to help spread awareness and bring “global attention and connectedness” to others suffering from the “debilitating disease.”

The actor’s family first announced he would be stepping away from acting last March after being diagnosed with aphasia — a condition that can affect a person’s ability to speak, write and understand verbal and written language.

At the time, Heming said she was grappling with “paralyzing” grief, writing, “I’m learning how to live along side [sic] it.”

The couple shares two daughters: Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8, while he has three daughters — Rumer, 34, Scout, 31, and Tallulah, 29 — with Moore, whom he was married to from 1987 to 2000.